A #CovidGoal is to improve my video editing.
A secondary goal, to improve photos and start sharing them more. I started an Instagram account for my hiking pics – BestHikeVisuals.
It’s working. But so far I’m only up to the stage of knowing now what I don’t know yet.
Mostly my videos are for outdoor recreation, but I also hope to get back indoor soon shooting Gymnastics.
Click PLAY or watch a sample on YouTube.
It has more editing magic than I’ve used in the past: Sound effect, Color balance, Slow mo, Intro flash, Ken Burns pan, Speed ramp, Focus blur, Zoom, Directional blur, Gausian blur, Radial centre. 3 cameras.
Audio the most time consuming part, however. I’m starting to enjoy background track music selection and audio editing.
Here are the BASICS for upcoming shoots:
- I’m usually shooting solo
- 3 cameras (Sony ZV-1, GoPro 7 and iPhone X with DJI OM 4 gimbal)
- ZV-1 is primary A roll footage. It has by far the best audio.
- ZV-1 mode #1 = 1080p / 60fps (60 is better math when slowing for 30fps output)
- ZV-1 mode #2 = 4K/30fps for zoom and cropping (I’ve switched from 24fps to 30fps for EXPORT)
- ZV-1 mode #2 = PHOTOS 16:9 RAW and JPEG both
- Apple’s free Photos app is not great, but I’m still using it for organization. I’ve switched to Pixelmator Pro for editing the best of the best photos.
- I quit trying Sony S-Log2, S-Log3, and other HLG profiles used by the cool kids as it was way too much hassle for dubious gains in quality.
- iPhone on the gimbal for B roll: slow-mo, time lapse, special effects, etc. (mostly 4K 60fps)
- GoPro is for B roll: action, water, mimic drone, etc. (mostly 2.7K 60fps as 2.7 is the highest it can go with Superview enabled. I’d only switch to 4K if on a tripod.)
- 16:9 ratio
- low light set on auto
- ISO min 100, max 400 (400 might be low)
- Protune off
- Editing with Final Cup Pro X on a MacBook Pro 2020 with the new silicon chip.
- Export in 1080p
- master file using ProRes 422
- export ‘Computer’
- export H.264 Faster Encode
- Timelapse 60 fps
- Shoot 120 fps only for smoke, fire
- Shoot 240 fps or higher for fast moving sports, etc.
- As little hand held video as possible. Use tripods.
- Target length of my final edit is 4min or less
- No ads
Hey Rick, I’m going through the same growing pains with video. Seems like a lot harder process going from knowing how to hike to learning about capturing video than the other way around. I find editing a video can take me a lot longer than do actually do the hike. I also find I have to slow down a lot then just taking pictures on hikes. Anyways, it’s definitely a time consuming process than just hiking. Anyways, thanks for sharing your experience.